Are you one of the millions of working moms looking for a career change? Are you ready to free yourself from the traditional nine to five work day at an office? Home based business, specifically online home based business, is full of promise. If you are planning to make a transition from your traditional career path to a home based business, it is imperative you take into consideration the tips I will be discussing below. In order to be successful in the industry of home based business you must remain ambitious and diligent.

1. Set Your Goals – Just like in any business it is very important that you set goals for yourself. Separate your short term and long term goals. Write them out some place where you will be constantly reminded exactly why your doing what you’ve set out to do. Remember to very patient if you do not accomplish all the goals you’ve listed at the same time. It will take time.

2. Research your opportunity – After you have set out and decided on your goals you can start researching which type of home based business is right for you. If you are joining a network marketing company it is important to do extensive research on the reputation of the company. Internet searches, blog posts and social networks are a great place to start.

3. Time Management – It is also very important to sit down and determine how much time you want to allocate for your home business. Dedicate yourself completely to working the hours you feel will directly benefit you and allow you to achieve your goals. Do not let everyday distractions sabotage your time and goals. Time is something you can never get back.

4. Risks- Starting any business requires personal and financial risks. Be sure to weigh the pros and cons of the potential risk you are considering taking. Contemplate what will be the best option for you and your family. Risk does not always need to have a negative connotation to it. Some of the biggest and best companies in the world have become what they are because of the risk involved.

Starting a home based business can be a daunting task but with the right mind set and tips that I’ve discussed above- I hope to have shed light on the opportunity that awaits you. There is no better time than now. Don’t forget, know your goals, manage your time and remember that time is money and you must take risks in order to see success.

Several weeks ago, I had the opportunity to sit in on a great meeting at Miles College with three lovely ladies. One was Dean Knight. The meeting took place in her office and we discussed a great project that one of the students wants to see happen on college campuses across the country – starting at Miles College.

Meeting Dean Knight was such a pleasure. She is well informed, personable, and a very free spirit with whom we all shared several laughs during the meeting. I personally want to thank both her and all educators around this nation, for pouring into the lives of our future leaders. They give more than many of us realize.

At the conclusion of our meeting, we discussed some of the problems young people face on most college campuses, and one of those that surfaced was the habitual use of marijuana and other drugs. Dean Knight talked about how most kids do not realize the long-term effects of smoking marijuana and view using it as “no big deal”. I know, from my work with parents and youth, that she has a handle on the true depth of this problem.

As parents, we must become educated about drugs so we can tell our kids more than just the old, “don’t use drugs” jargon. Kids need to know the cause and effects of drug use and there is no better person to give this education to them than their own parents. A great resource for helping parents to educate themselves and, in turn, educate their youth is “The Ultimate Guide For Drug Free and Productive Youth”.

I believe that well-informed and educated parents give the world well informed and educated kids! Three weeks ago, while speaking for UMADAOP of Ohio, I was a panelist for the Marijuana Summit. I met some great people who have great resources for parents to better educate themselves. The information is based on numbers – and we know numbers never lie! Check out these 2 websites: http://www.drugfreeactionalliance.org and http://www.drugfreecincinnati.org.

Sending educated, informed youth into the world leads to three game changers:

1. When youth are educated about drugs, they make better LIFE CHOICES and this allows them to be more productive in life. Our choices do only 2 things: They enhance our life or take away from our life. We want our youth to consider the consequences of every choice.

2. When kids are educated about the long-term effects of drug use, it has a way of eliminating the CURIOSITY FACTOR about drugs that lead so many youth into trying them in the first place. Too many youth who experiment with drugs – end up addicted. Let’s educate our kids, so their CURIOSITY FACTOR is not the foundation of their choices.

3. The main thing that educating our youths about drugs does is provide them with CLARITY. Being clear about the negative effect of drugs and knowing that they do NOT provide any value to life is an essential belief that allows youth to say a resounding, “No!” to drug use – and mean it. I challenge all parents to educate themselves in this area and then educate your kids and witness the decline in drug abuse!